All traditions
2,237 traditions so far, best known first. 12,423 more are on the list to be written. Filter by region, kind and meal.
RegionSouth AsiaSoutheast AsiaEast AsiaCentral Asia and the CaucasusMiddle EastNorth AfricaSub-Saharan AfricaEuropeNorth AmericaLatin America and the CaribbeanOceania
🇱🇸 LesothoMokorotlo
A conical straw hat that serves as the national symbol of Lesotho and a key element of Basotho traditional dress.Dress
🇳🇴 Norway and 3 moreGákti
A traditional coat worn by the Sámi people across northern Scandinavia and Russia, signaling origin and status through cDress
🇳🇿 Auckland, New ZealandTā moko
The traditional permanent tattooing of the Māori people of New Zealand, marking identity and status.Rite of passage
🇲🇱 San, Mali and 1 moreBògòlanfinibɔgɔlanfini
A handmade Malian cotton textile dyed with iron-rich mud, worn for protection and identity.Dress
🇳🇪 Agadez, NigerAgadez Crosstanaghilt
A silver pendant cast by Tuareg blacksmiths in Niger, worn as jewelry and a symbol of protection.Dress
🇮🇳 Paithan, IndiaPaithani
A handwoven silk sari from Maharashtra, with a squared border and a peacock palluDress
🇵🇦 Panama City, PanamaMola
Layered cloth panels hand-sewn by Guna women using reverse appliquéCraft
🇹🇷 Turkey and 5 moreNazarnazar boncuğu
A blue glass eye amulet worn and displayed to deflect the evil eye.Folklore
🇵🇾 Asunción, ParaguayÑandutí
Paraguayan needle lace named for a spider's web, worked in thread and cut freeCraft
🇸🇦 Mecca, Saudi ArabiaIhramإِحْرَام
A sacred state and simple dress that Muslims enter for Hajj and UmrahSpiritual
🇲🇽 Mexico and 1 moreCharro traditionCharro
The equestrian skills, formal attire and rodeo arts of the Mexican horseman.Game
🇺🇦 Ukraine and 2 moreRushnykрушник
A sacred embroidered cloth used in East Slavic rituals, weddings and daily life.Dress
🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the CongoKuba textiles
Elaborate raffia cloths from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, known for their complex geometric embroidery and velvCraft
🇹🇱 Dili, Timor-Leste and 1 moreTais
Traditional hand-woven cloth of East Timor, worn as dress or used in ceremonies and exchange.Dress
🇼🇸 Samoa and 1 moreʻIe tōga
Precious woven mats exchanged in Samoan ceremonies to honor family ties and chiefly status.Dress
🇮🇱 IsraelTallitטלית
A four-cornered Jewish prayer shawl with ritual fringes worn during worshipSpiritual
🇵🇱 Kraków, PolandKrakowiak
A lively Polish folk dance from Kraków that became a popular ballroom style across Europe.Performance
🇺🇸 New York, United StatesNavajo weavingdiyogí
Handwoven wool textiles and rugs made on continuous warps by Navajo artisansCraft
🇻🇦 Vatican City and 1 morePontifical Swiss GuardPontificia Cohors Helvetica
The Swiss military corps charged with guarding the Pope and the Apostolic PalaceCeremony
🇪🇬 Egypt and 5 moreTraditional tattooing
The ancient custom of marking the skin for protection, healing, status and sacred ritesDress
🇵🇭 Cebu, PhilippinesBatok
Indigenous Filipino tattooing, once worn as dress, rank and a rite of passageCraft
🇮🇳 India and 1 morePhulkariਫੁਲਕਾਰੀ
Geometric and floral threadwork embroidered by Punjabi women on handwoven cotton.Craft
🇮🇩 Bali, Indonesia and 5 moreIkat
A resist-dyeing craft from Southeast Asia, where yarns are tied and dyed before weavingCraft
🇼🇸 Samoa and 1 morePeʻa
The traditional Samoan rite of full-body tattooing for men, tapped by master artistsRite of passage
🇻🇳 Huế, VietnamNón lá𥶄蘿
A pointed leaf and bamboo hat worn across Vietnam for shelter, work and celebrationDress
🇮🇳 Kolhapur, IndiaKolhapuri chappal
Handcrafted braided leather slip-on sandals from western IndiaCraft
🇰🇭 CambodiaApsara Danceរបាំទេពអប្សរា
A classical Cambodian court dance inspired by the stone carvings of AngkorPerformance
🇯🇵 Kyoto, JapanYūzen友禅
A Japanese resist-dyeing craft that creates painterly patterns on fine kimonoCraft
🇺🇬 Uganda and 4 moreBarkcloth
Cloth beaten from tree bark across Africa, Asia and the PacificCraft
🇮🇩 North Sumatra, IndonesiaUlosᯥᯞᯘᯬ᯲
A hand-woven textile of the Batak people in Indonesia, worn for warmth and ceremony.Dress
🇬🇭 Ntɔnso, Ghana and 1 moreAdinkra symbols
Symbols of the Akan people, stamped on cloth, each one carrying a proverbCraft
🇯🇵 JapanMiko巫女
A woman who serves at a Shinto shrine, dancing, cleansing and helping with ritesSpiritual
🇮🇱 Israel and 1 moreTzitzitצִיצִית
Knotted ritual fringes worn on a four-cornered garment, a reminder of the commandmentsDress
🇺🇦 Chernivtsi, Ukraine and 5 moreVyshyvanka DayДень вишиванки
An annual day for wearing traditional Ukrainian embroidered shirts across the worldDress
🇦🇹 Austria and 4 moreDirndl
A fitted dress with apron from the German-speaking Alps, worn for festivals and weddings.Dress
🇮🇹 Venice, ItalyCarnival of VeniceCarnevale di Venezia
A historic festival in Italy famous for elaborate masks and anonymous social gatherings.Festival
🇰🇷 South KoreaNorigae노리개
A Korean pendant of knots and tassels, worn with hanbok and kept for luckDress
🇨🇦 Canada and 5 moreTartan DayLà an Tartain
An annual celebration of Scottish culture, clan tartans, and diaspora heritageFestival
🇸🇩 SudanJirtigالجَرْتِقْ
A Sudanese wedding ritual of regal adornment, protection, and blessings of fertilityRite of passage
🇺🇸 New York, United States and 1 moreEaster parade
A festive Easter Sunday stroll featuring stylish clothes and elaborate bonnetsFestival
🇰🇷 South Korea and 2 moreHanbok한복
Korea's customary dress: a short jacket, a skirt or trousers, and a bow-tied ribbonDress
🇨🇳 Shanghai, China and 1 moreCheongsam旗袍 (qípáo), 長衫 (chángshān)
A fitted one-piece Chinese dress with a high collar and side slits, worn since the 1920sDress
🇲🇬 MadagascarLamba
A rectangular cloth wrapped around the body, worn across Madagascar and at burialsDress
🇲🇦 Tangier, MoroccoNegafaنڭافة (Arabic); ⵏⴳⴰⴼⴰ (Tamazight)
The woman who dresses a bride and guards the customs of a Moroccan weddingRite of passage
🇹🇴 Tonga and 1 moreTaʻovala
A waist mat worn in Tonga for weddings, funerals and formal daysDress
🇧🇸 Bahamas and 3 moreJunkanoo
A Caribbean masquerade festival of masked dancing, goatskin drumming, and cowbellsFestival
🇲🇽 Guadalajara, MexicoMexican hat danceJarabe tapatío
Mexico's national courtship dance, in which a dancer's steps circle the brim of a hatPerformance
🇳🇬 Kano, NigeriaKofar Mata Dye Pits
Hand-dyed indigo cloth from centuries-old earthen pits in the heart of KanoCraft
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- ʻIe tōga: Sarah Kelemen, CC BY 2.0, source
- Peʻa: Thomas Andrew (1855-1939), Public domain, source
- Paithani: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Taʻovala: James Foster, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- Cheongsam: Jacklee ., CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Gákti: Thorguds, Public domain, source
- Tartan Day: daniel2177, CC BY 2.0, source
- Jirtig: Alzain Mohammed, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Mexican hat dance: Salvador alc, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Ikat: Midori, CC BY 3.0, source
- Junkanoo: WikiPedant, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Negafa: Amine.elbahij, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Lamba: Lemurbaby at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0, source
- Hanbok: DongyiKoguryo, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Easter parade: Meister der Palastkapelle in Palermo, Public domain, source
- Adinkra symbols: Bosomba Amosah other versions=, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Miko: Chris Gladis, Flickr user MShades, CC BY 2.0, source
- Tzitzit: DRosenbach at English Wikipedia, Public domain, source
- Ihram: United Press International, Public domain, source
- Ñandutí: Trey Jones, Public domain, source
- Kofar Mata Dye Pits: Solasly, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Dirndl: High Contrast, CC BY 3.0 de, source
- Kolhapuri chappal: Daderot, CC0, source
- Traditional tattooing: Haa900, CC0, source
- Phulkari: Sheebamadanloewinger, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Vyshyvanka Day: Vladimir Yaitskiy, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Navajo weaving: Don Graham, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Mokorotlo: Vanellus Foto, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Pontifical Swiss Guard: The White House, Public domain, source
- Tallit: Mushki Brichta, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Charro tradition: AlejandroLinaresGarcia, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Norigae: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Yūzen: Ismoon ( talk ), CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Apsara Dance: Remi Jouan, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Barkcloth: Hiart, CC0, source
- Nón lá: Ratmanhme282020, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Mola: Johantheghost, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Bògòlanfini: BluesyPete, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Krakowiak: Władysław Bakałowicz, Public domain, source
- Nazar: Alev Akın, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Tā moko: Gottfried Lindauer, Public domain, source
- Tais: Daderot, CC0, source
- Kuba textiles: Hiart, CC0, source
- Carnival of Venice: Roberto Vicario, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Agadez Cross: Amadouibrahim2, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Ulos: Boy Lawson, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Rushnyk: Pavlo Boyko, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Batok: Lee, CC BY 2.0, source